Montgomery's first co-op workspace hopes to give creative freelancers a place to call their own

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- For freelancers and those that work from home in Montgomery, finding a space that meets, both, the need for a quiet environment and the desire to interact with others can be difficult.

Ampersand, the first creative co-op workspace in downtown, hopes to change that.

First thought up by advertising agency Stamp Idea Group as a place for employees and freelancers to work together on projects, Ampersand has since developed into a space for all types of creatives.

"The idea was to bridge that gap," said founding board member Joe Birdwell. "It's something that can meet the needs of local agencies in town, but also meet the needs of freelancers and people who do work from home. We're creating that environment where the interactions can happen."

While Stamp Idea Group played a strong role in developing Ampersand, Managing Director David Allred said the purpose of the space is to give freelancers a place to work regardless of whether they're involved with the advertising agency.

"The first goal is to provide a place for freelance talent to work," said David Allred. "This is just another thing that we [Stamp] can do that says to the creative community that we are trying to foster more than just hiring people. We're trying to provide a space that's creative in itself."

The workspace, which is 1,200 square feet, will give members 24/7 access to high speed internet, independent and collaborative work areas, a copier, a printer, a scanner, a private meeting room, a private phone booth, a kitchen area with ping pong table, a full bathroom and more.

An advisory board will approve applications for membership in hopes of keeping Ampersand a positive environment that will benefit and appease those already working from the space.

"I've worked out of Starbucks, and its got a nice little atmosphere, but it has some disadvantages too," said Jason Wohlford. "Having a place like this, I can connect with other creatives. I'm excited, personally, just to be around more creatives and still have a nice atmosphere."

Ampersand, which is located at 111 Washington Avenue, will host an open house for those interested in membership from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. on Thursday. Regular memberships are $150 per month while student memberships will be $75 per month.